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Show 6 THURSDAY. MARCH THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE 2001 1, How Do They Do lt? Editor found Carlos Ponce's piece in the Feb. 27 issue of The Daily Utah n and Chronicle There truly are many academics who rely on scientific methods (coupled with a healthy dose of skepticism) as a means to gain new knowledge and understanding, yet who abandon such mentality when it comes to fundamental traditions and ideas about the history of the universe and of humankind. From the time the first Homo sapiens pondered their own existence, humans have sought after meaning in our lives, an explanation of how it all came to be. Many traditions were born around the globe, similar in some aspects, radically different in others. All were based on 0 the fact of our existence, 2) our inability to explain our origins and 3) our need to have meaning and purpose in our lives. Science has unfolded many of the I well-writte- GEICO Auto risurance. 1 secret The of our success? 1 Smart 444-928- 1410 ( ovrmmrm or 4 N Hilifield Employtn Imuran. Co 298-933- Road Of.ICO mysteries regarding the origin of Layton Central Insurance Co WlBhmglon, DC. 20076 The D n1 g. man and the universe. Today, there are a number of evolutionary and creation ideas which are nearly universally accepted by the scientists who specialize in these and other fields. These are the theories which have been proven by empirical evidence. While there remain many disputed theories, some have emerged in the scientific world as fact, theories that have been proven by so many researchers so many times that we now acknowledge them as truth. We could all hypothetically examine artifacts and living creatures to learn with our own senses about the development of all species by natural selection. We could trace humans to our origin in Africa and subsequent migrations therefrom, which resulted in the population of the earth. 6 - thought-provokin- GEICO Indemnity itYr a Co ever-increasi- the skepticism part on the weekend?" I think they can do it because they have to. Consider the alternative. Not worth it for most people, I suspect. I empathize with Ponce in his bewilderment about how others can ignore some of the obvious conflicts that exist between scientific findings and the ancient creation legends. I suspect many readers will rehearse in their minds or even write a letter detailing how science and religious traditions don't conflict at all, that it all fits together in some wacky way. I don't blame others for believing the way they do. I mean, they have to. Consider the alterna- 1 j now acc i a The man who hastily claims there are no keys reminds me all too much of the Prussian cosmonauts who, upon arriving in space and finding no God there, triumphantly proclaimed, "You see, there is no God!" Scientists abandoned logical positivism (the mentality" used in Carl Sagan's dragon analogy) long ago when it came into conflict wich nuclear physics. How could physicists justifiably study what they could not seeatomic and ' subatomic particles? It was apparent that" one had to go, and it was positivism. Beside the impractical ity of positivism, the history of science can spt'ak for itself; First space was flair then it was curved, now its fiat again. So which is it? Wei, I guess its flat for now. Yet, science has stiii failed to prove there is no dragon in the garage, no key in the building, and no God somewhere in the universe. In response to Mr. Ponce's stjteracnt, "I am curious about the folks out there who work in science and yet easily bdieve b. the dragons. How do they do it? How can they practice the method of science...ort weekdays and then hsro. off ths skepticism part on the weekends?' With the statement "a parados that must be hard to live with, a quote corses to inind: - tc mf mind 1large!learned as the universe is so aaVc" large, SAMUEL VINCENT that there is room, for paradoxes" (Maxine Hong KmgtfmV ;', JARED WALKER Junior, Nursing :JUfilor, Politics? Science tive. GEICO Casualty Co n hCL KJ To 1 i Had we the proper tools and equipment, each of us could measure radioactive decay and elemental concentration levels in our atmosphere that indicate the relative ages of these artifacts and of the earth itself. With a sufficient background in physics and chemistry and with the aid of satellites, we could all calculate the approximate age of the universe based on the velocities celestial bodies, the distances between them, and the concentrations of various elements found in space. Many attempt to reconcile the traditional beliefs with new scientific findings, but such requires an stretch of the imagination and manipulation of the old beliefs, as well as a compromise of the mental integrity that honest skepticism maintains. Returning to Ponce's question, "How do they do it...How can they practice the method of sciencc.dur-in- g the weekdays and then turn off PARADOX continued from page 5 n irrJ mc le 18 . VJ-LX- X Hi :atio;n;jfor academic year. Applications nion'room 2 Deadline for Aplicationsis for Student Publications Funding Publications Council is making available funding for student academic year. Applications are available at publications for the 2001-200- 2 the Chronicle Office, 236 Union. Deadline is March 23 at 5pm |